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Likely sports senator plays waiting game

Wayne Drupolich of the Australian Sports Party is poised to win a seat in the Senate, but won't decide his views on non-sporting policy areas just yet.

The 42-year-old civil engineer from Perth, whose Australian Sports Party is poised to take a Senate seat despite only being registered three months ago, point blank refuses to discuss any policy areas that don't involve his single-issue platform.

"Our policy is about healthy living through sports - getting kids and young people involved in sports. We think there's a big issue with obesity at the moment in Australian society," Mr Dropulich said.

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But he refused to offer an opinion on the carbon tax, marriage equality, paid parental leave, the Syrian intervention, or anything else.

Despite being within touching distance of pinching a Senate seat from under the noses of Labor and the Nationals in Western Australia, Mr Dropulich admitted his party has not yet devised policies on any non-sporting issues.

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"If it's not sports-related, at this stage we are just going to wait and see if we get in, then we can address all those issues," he said.

Australian Sports Party's Wayne Dropulich looks set to get a spot in the Senate.

"Up until a couple of days ago, I was just another member of the general public, getting my information from various media outlets. If we do get in I'll look forward to getting into the Senate and listening to what all those issues are and listening to both sides of the argument, and making informed decisions," he said.

With just over 1900 primary votes, his polling numbers were every bit as small as his policy platform. But Mr Dropulich denied that his success will come courtesy of preference flows from less politically engaged above-the-line voters.

Counting is ongoing, and a final result is not expected until next week, although all predictions suggest Mr Dropulich will be Canberra-bound.

The Australian Sports Party used a sporting analogy to describe the situation to its fans on Facebook, alongside a photograph of a pair of AFL umpires.

''The review is underway & it looks like the Aust Sports Party has kicked a senate goal!!!'' it said.

A member of Perth's influential resources industry, Mr Dropulich also rejected the idea that he will instinctively back Tony Abbott's plan to scrap the carbon and mining taxes, saying he would not be entering the Senate purely as a "rubber stamp" for the government.

Although he currently works as an engineer on Gina Rinehart's Roy Hill iron ore project, he insisted he would not be automatically pro-mining.

"At the moment that's my job, but hopefully come July next year I'll be a Senator and make decisions not just for the mining companies. There are a lot of other industries here in Western Australia that need their issues to be looked at."

Nevertheless, as a potential crossbench senator he agrees that he will face an onslaught of lobbying from vested interests.

"I guess I can't even imagine at the moment how much pressure that's going to be. But I think I'm level-headed enough to take all those things on board and not be pressured too much," he said.

Asked how he managed to attract so many preference votes, Mr Dropulich admitted having contacted Glenn Druery, the New South Wales maths whizz credited with getting minor parties over the line in previous elections.

Mr Druery did not devise the party's strategy, Mr Dropulich insisted.

"He basically put me onto contact details for a lot of the other minor parties. I then went on to contact all of them individually."

Mr Dropulich denied ''gaming the system'', and insisted the Australian Sports Party would deserve its place in the 76-seat Senate if he wins.

"Every other party had the same rules to play with, and we just used those rules," he said. "If we happen to be the team that kicks the last goal to win at the siren, then so be it."